PSL Police: Three arrested after champagne heists on East Coast

A 22-year-old, 19-year-old and 17-year-old are accused of stealing bottles of champagne from grocery stores along the East Coast from Miami to Port St. Lucie, Port St. Lucie Police report.

The suspects were arrested Wednesday around 4:45 p.m. after stealing five bottles of champagne from a Publix in Port St. Lucie, police report.

Lily Lilian Barillas, 22, and Marcos Raul Benitez, 19, stole the five bottles of champagne from the Publix at Rivergate Plaza, on Port St. Lucie Boulevard between Federal Highway and the Florida Turnpike. They hid the champagne in Barillas’ purse, police report.

They headed to a get-away car waiting in the parking lot, driven by the 17-year-old suspect, but were intercepted by officers, according to police.

The three suspects, all Hialeah residents, drove up the east coast from the Miami area stealing champagne from different grocery stores, according to Port St. Lucie Police.

Barillas and Benitez were arrested for retail theft and taken to the St. Lucie County Jail. The 17-year-old was arrested for retail theft and taken to the Juvenile Detention Center.